Author: Rachel

The Edible Editorial

October 2023

Halloween Safety
Everyone loves a good scare on Halloween, but not when it comes to the safety of those little trick-or-treaters. Fortunately, there are lots of easy things parents can do to stay safe on the spookiest of holidays.
Hard Facts about Halloween Safety : On average, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year.
Top Tips for Halloween Safety
Walking Tips
Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
Put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, tell them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
Costume Safety
Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.
Driving Safety
Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
Get rid of any distractions—like your phone—in your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
Turn on your headlights early in the day to spot children from a greater distance.

Home Day Care Training
Look at your Claim Summary Report each month!
If you claim on paper - Look at your check stub each month. This will tell you if you have any children with expired Child Registration Letters or any forms that are expiring in the near future. We cannot reimburse for meals without an up-to-date Child Registration Letter on file.
If you claim online - In Kidkare.com, click on Reports (left side of screen). Select Claim Statements from the drop down list. Select Claimed Summary and Error Report. Choose the month you want to look at. Select Run. This will tell you if you have any children with expired Child Registration Letters or any forms that are expiring in the near future. We cannot reimburse for meals without an up-to-date Child Registration Letter on file.

Center Based Child Care Training
Look at your Claim Summary and Error Report each month!
In the Minute Menu CX program, click on the file cabinet icon from the main screen. This will list all the claims that have been processed for your site. Click on the “OER” button next to the claim month. Review any errors to correct for future claims.
When logged into Minute Menu CX, if you see any of these red boxes—that means forms are expired or missing. Click on those boxes to see what forms are needed. We cannot reimburse for meals without an up-to-date Child Registration Letter on file.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Mushroom Cheese Pizza —USDA Recipe for Child Care
CACFP Crediting Information (12 servings):
One serving: 1 slice = 1 1/2 oz. eq. meat/meat alternate and 1 1/2 oz. eq. grains

Ingredients:
Pizza Dough:
1.5 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1 (0.25 oz.) packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Pizza Toppings:
1.5 cups pizza sauce
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sliced mushrooms

Directions:
In a large bowl, spray with vegetable oil. Combine the flour and salt.
In a small bowl, add the yeast. Heat 1/4 cup of water until it reaches 115 degrees F. Pour warm water on top of yeast. Stir until dissolved. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Add oil, water, and dissolved yeast into the flour. Knead well.
Cover with plastic and let rise until doubled (about 30-40 minutes). Check dough by pressing with two fingers 1/4 inch deep—the impressions should remain. If it springs back, dough hasn’t risen enough.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Pour dough out on a large sheet pan or clean surface.
With sprayed gloved hands, punch down and divide the dough into 2 dough balls (each weighing approximately 11.6 oz.).
Use the hand roller to press each dough ball into a round pizza pan or a 12” x 18” pan.
Spoon 3/4 cup of sauce to each pizza and spread evenly.
In a large bowl, mix the cheeses together.
Then, add 2.5 cups of shredded cheese to each pizza and spread evenly.
Top each pizza with 1/2 cup of mushrooms, making sure the mushrooms are spaced out evenly.
Bake each sheet pan for 15-20 minutes. Cut each pizza into 6 even slices.